Abstract: An improved biopsy specimen cutter utilizes a wire loop, attached to a hand-manipulable trigger mechanism, for severing the tissue sample from the host. A removable dilator is insertable into the biopsy specimen cutter for the purpose of positioning the cutter adjacent the tissue to be removed, and after such placement, the dilator is withdrawn, the specimen cutter is advanced into the tissue, the trigger mechanism is retracted causing the loop to sever the tissue, and the specimen cutter and the specimen contained therein are withdrawn.

Abstract: A seed guard that is detachably securable to any bird cage and which deflects thrown seeds back into the cage. The guard includes as many flat, cuttable sheets as there are sides to the cage. The opposite ends of each cuttable sheet are engaged by corner members that are detachably secured to the corner bars of the cage. The seed guard is provided in kit form so that the cage owner may assemble the corner members, attach them to the cage, cut the guard members to size, and slide the guard members into position by inserting the opposite ends of the guard members into detents provided by the corner members.

Abstract: A filling, emptying, and air venting closure for a liquid containing hollow article having a flexible wall, and the combination of the closure with such article. The closure has a hollow stem having a root and a free outer end, a sheet-like member sealingly attached to the root of the stem being adapted for sealing attachment to the flexible wall of the inflatable article. The sheet-like member is selectively deformable to allow the stem to be removed from a first position, in which it lies inwardly of the outline of the hollow article, into a second position in which it protrudes from the flexible wall of the article to which it is attached and is disposed in a second position, generally at right angles to its first position. The stem has a threaded outer end on which there is removably mounted a partial closure device having a gas preminable member which provides for the passage of a gas outwardly therethrough from the interior of the hollow article, said gas preminable device being impreminable to liquid.

Abstract: An automatic inflator which inflates gas-inflatable articles by the release of compressed gas from a gas-containing capsule by the piercing of a seal on the capsule. The inflator has an elongated housing having first and second end portions, the housing receiving the neck of a compressed gas-containing capsule mounted for longitudinal movement with respect thereto and with the seal on the capsule disposed adjacent the second end portion of the housing. A piercing pin is mounted on the first end portion of the housing to confront the seal on the neck of a capsule mounted therein, there being a spring at the second end portion of the housing for constantly urging the capsule longitudinally of the housing toward the first end portion thereof.